MediaPost: New Tracking Data Reveals Marked Disparities In Paid Search Costs, Yield

Fathom Online started a Keyword Price Index, a measurement of click prices on search engines in a series of eight industry market baskets of search phrases. September showed, as expected, a wide diversity of click prices depending on the category. Topping the list were mortgage ($3.17), broadband ($1.89), investing ($1.76) and automotive ($1.54). The cheapest four categories were retail ($0.32), consumer services ($0.54), travel ($0.64) and wireless ($1.09). Fathom made arrangements with MediaPost to publish the figures monthly.

Fathom noted that prices tended to go down at the ends of months, perhaps showing that some click buyers were running out of budgets, which lightened demand.